Mixed Link Seen for Gestational Exposure to Flame-Retardant Chemicals and Childhood Obesity
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, Nov. 12, 2024 -- The association between gestational organophosphate ester (OPE) exposure and obesity in childhood is mixed, according to a study published in the November issue of Environment International.
Alicia K. Peterson, from Kaiser Permanente Northern California in Pleasanton, and colleagues analyzed OPEs in pregnancy urine samples of 5,087 individuals from 14 studies to examine whether OPE levels are associated with the risk for childhood obesity. Body mass index measurements were available for 3,827; 3,921; and 2,541 children in infancy (0.5 to 1.9 years), early childhood (2.0 to 4.9 years), and mid-childhood (5.0 to 10.0 years), respectively.
The researchers found that 16 to 21 percent of children across age groups had obesity. There was an association seen for the composite of dibutyl phosphate and di-isobutyl phosphate second and third versus first tertiles with an increased obesity risk in mid-childhood (relative risks [95 percent confidence intervals], 1.14 [1.02 to 1.28] and 1.11 [0.97 to 1.27], respectively); an inverse association was seen for bis (1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate second and third versus first tertiles with obesity risk (relative risks [95 percent confidence intervals], 0.85 [0.80 to 0.91] and 0.91 [0.77 to 1.07], respectively). For bis-(2-propylheptyl)-phthalate, bis(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate, bis(butoxyethyl) phosphate, and bis(2-chloroethyl) phosphate, there were no associations with obesity. In Bayesian kernel machine regression models, directions observed were consistent.
"Overall, our findings suggest a complex interplay between gestational OPE exposure and childhood obesity," the authors write.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted November 2024
Read this next
Few Adolescents With Obesity Prescribed Obesity Medications
FRIDAY, June 13, 2025 -- Despite an increase in the prevalence of prescribing, only 0.5 percent of U.S. adolescents with obesity were prescribed an obesity medication in 2023...
Real-World Weight Loss With Semaglutide, Tirzepatide Less Than That Seen in Clinical Trials
THURSDAY, June 12, 2025 -- For patients with obesity initiating pharmacotherapy with semaglutide or tirzepatide, weight loss at one year is 8.7 percent on average, which is lower...
Adherence to Healthy Diet Improves Cardiometabolic Risk, Even Without Weight Loss
WEDNESDAY, June 11, 2025 -- A healthy diet improves cardiometabolic risk factors, even if not associated with weight loss (WL), according to a study published online June 5...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.